Fellowship Coasts and Communities Turkish

Fellowship, Coasts and Communities, Turkish

Originally from Turkey, my husband and I have lived in Boston for the past decade, where we run a coffee shop. What we cherish most about America, particularly Boston, is its international diversity, which we experience daily through interactions with people from around the globe who visit our shop. Over the years, I've gained immense knowledge from our patrons.

While financial gain isn't our primary goal, my husband and I focus on enjoying life. However, as my affection for America grows, so does my desire to serve and protect its community, especially its vulnerable members. I earned my MBA from XXXX in 2007, and I am eager to apply my knowledge not for wealth generation but for community service. This passion drives my application for your competitive fellowship program, aiming to pursue a PhD in Organizations and Social Change, focusing on issues affecting low-income families, particularly those with children.

In 1999, a major earthquake struck Turkey, and I joined friends and colleagues in the monumental task of distributing basic emergency supplies, especially food. Many colleagues lost loved ones, and I offered them emotional support, bonding with children by teaching, caring for them, and helping them cope with grief and trauma. This experience deeply ingrained my sense of service, making me enthusiastic about participating in a fellowship program focused on disaster preparedness in my new Atlantic coastal home in the USA.

I seek a comprehensive education to creatively address the significant disparities between developed and developing nations, particularly concerning poverty structures and social unrest. I wish to scrutinize the International Monetary Fund's role, questioning whether its policies contribute to dependency and poverty. I aim to study Africa's famine politics, extracting lessons on potential actions while acknowledging our economic and political limitations.

Beyond my earthquake experience, my application is strengthened by my undergraduate studies in Food Engineering and Turkey's strategic geopolitical position as a bridge between Europe and Asia. I graduated from Ege University, one of Turkey's top institutions, with a broad-based education in food sciences, safety, and engineering, providing an excellent foundation for my future studies on hunger and structural poverty.

As a Project Manager for a major catering company, XXXX, and later in Quality Control Assurance, I honed my engineering and managerial skills, expanding my knowledge of international business practices. I stay abreast of developments in Food Science and Nutrition and intend to keep up with ongoing research in this field.

After leaving XXXX, I moved to London to pursue new opportunities, working for various UK companies while improving my English proficiency. Once confident in my language skills, I moved to the United States to earn an MBA at the University of XXXX. Some people still notice a hint of British English in my accent.

During my MBA, I worked as a Teaching and Research Assistant under Prof XXXX, assisting with student discussions and research tasks. This experience enriched my understanding of teaching diverse students and fueled my enthusiasm for teaching in the future.

After completing my MBA, I joined Corner Café, where I learned firsthand the importance of communication and management for organizational success. I developed efficient problem-solving skills and built strong team relationships. While we've focused on supporting our family and raising two young children, I'm now ready to pursue my lifelong goal of earning a doctoral degree to maximize my social contributions.

Having earned my MBA from the University of XXXX, I value UXX's strong management program. I view your fellowship and doctoral studies in Organizations and Social Change at UXX as the ideal way to leverage my Food Engineering background and the advanced economics and international business knowledge gained from my MBA at UXX. Working with your distinguished faculty, particularly Prof Maureen Scully, will help me reach my full potential and prepare me for significant social impact.

If accepted into the program, I am keen to study the effects of coastal disasters on local communities, especially women and children. I am passionate about empowering women and protecting children, as I believe sustainable societal development requires a safety net in education, health, and basic necessities like food and clean water, which many still lack. I aim to learn about critical needs during natural or human-caused disasters, focusing on supply chain management and the distribution of perishable food items in crisis situations.

Upon completing my PhD, I aspire to teach in an academic setting, sharing my expertise and experience with students. I believe a doctorate in Management, particularly the Organizational & Social Change track from the University of XXXX, is the best preparation for my future role in supporting sustainable progress in the Developing World.

I recognize the competitive nature of the selection process, yet I am confident that my background, determination, and enthusiasm position me to make valuable contributions to your program and beyond. I believe I am uniquely suited to advance our understanding of supply chain management and the challenges of managing perishable food items, learning to effectively address these issues.

Thank you for considering my application.

Fellowship Coasts and Communities Turkish